In recent years, resistance random access memory devices that use variable resistance elements as storage elements have attracted attention as a candidate for the successor of flash memory. Here, resistance random access memory devices shall include not only resistance random access memory in the narrow sense, in which transition metal oxides comprise the recording layers and their resistance value state is recorded in a nonvolatile manner (ReRAM: Resistive RAM), but also phase-change memory (PCRAM: Phase-Change RAM), which uses chalcogenides, etc., as the recording layer(s), which utilizes the resistance value shift between its crystalline state (a conductor) and its amorphous state (an insulator) to store information.
In the memory cell array of the resistance random access memory device, memory cells that include variable resistance elements are placed at the intersection of the bit line and the word line. Also, by alternately layering the bit line and the word line and by stacking and arranging the memory cell array three-dimensionally, a high-density memory cell array can be realized.
When applying a voltage to a selected memory cell, which is large enough to change its resistance state, there are cases where the voltage is also undesirably applied to other half-selected memory cells in the memory cell array. The resistance state or the threshold voltage of the half-selected memory cell is affected by this voltage, and there is a concern that data retained in the half-selected memory cell will be undesirably changed. Unselected memory cells may have similar problems, when applying voltages to bit lines and word lines have undesirable different timings.